Goodbye

Fellow bloggers,

The time has come for me to say "goodbye." A week from Monday I start graduate school, and I am sorry to say that this hobby will have to go for now. I have really enjoyed reading all your blogs and writing my own, but it is my goal to graduate with honors and to do that, I must eliminate some extraneous activities. I will pray for all of you, and from time to time, I may post a few words (probably through Chris' blog). Please do not be hurt if it is a while before I can read your blog- I will try to read through occasionally, but I'm not sure how much time I will have.
I love you all!
-S
PS I'd like to leave you with an excerpt from a well-known poem; if I could rename it, I'd call it "Practical Faith" (the real title is "If" and it is an awesome poem). I hope you enjoy it.

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
...If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And-which is more- you'll be a Man, my son!
-Rudyard Kipling

Bigger news than potty training!

Okay, you thought I was excited before- wait until I tell you what just happened: Hannah asked Jesus into her heart! She has been talking a lot about Him and wanting to see Him, and so today she was just adamant about it and I felt the Holy Spirit telling me to share the Gospel with her. So we talked about the beginning and Adam and Eve and Jesus' birth, death and resurrection. Then we talked about how it was all for us and she said a prayer asking Jesus to be her friend and Lord and to be a part of His family! I am so excited! Please pray for her and Chris and myself so that we can lead her continuously on the straight and narrow.
One really excited Mommy!
-S

I can't believe it!

My son is potty training! At 20 months and without any real prodding from me!
I put him on the potty once or twice before his bath, and now he wants to go all the time!
Yes, I am excited b/c Hannah took forever to potty train- over 16 months! Jeremiah asked to go this morning when he got up and after his snack. When he went after snack, he was dry (2.5 hours) and went! Wow! Kids really are different aren't they! I thought being a boy that he would be the slow one, but he's not. He even wants to use toilet paper (it's so cute). Anyway, I just am amazed. I think it's time for easy ups (I have to remove his diaper all the time) and a potty of his own.
An impressed Mommy,
-S

The Call

On my way to the bus stop, during my 17th year, God spoke to my heart: " I have a great work for you to do." Later on, I felt the distinct call to be a missionary- but I didn't know how or when. I remember going to see Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" with my grandmother that same year and I remember my heart stirring- no, practically bursting as Belle sang, "I want adventure in the great wide somewhere. I want it more than I can tell... I want so much more than they've got planned." And I wanted to yell, "That's exactly how I feel!" I remember also when I received the call to be a missionary that I stood up in church and told the congregation, "I'm not sure where I'm going, but I know that God has called me to preach the Gospel." Shortly thereafter, my pastor began asking me to preach on Sunday nights. At 17, I preached my first sermon. A little later on, I went to Emmanuel to get a teaching degree so I could be a missionary. I was focused. Along the way, I met Chris and married and had two beautiful children- but the desire to teach God's word has not left me. Over the years I have been burdened to speak to women and teach them God's truth. FOr seven years I kept up a list on my wall to have a women's ministry- my goals for that ministry and prayers. Now, I am feeling the desire to teach and preach again- stronger than it has been for a long time. And I have recently heard the Holy Spirit whispering to me, " I want you to teach my people." Now, I am not sure what that means, because as a young mom, I know I have time b/f I can do a lot. I also know that I must be in agreement with my husband- but the call is unmistakable and it is a like a fire shut up in my bones- I must speak the truth to all who will hear. I must tell them the truth. I am not sure how. I am not sure when. I am not sure to whom (women, children, families...) I only know I must speak it.
I am also not sure why I am blogging this, but I felt I must. Please pray for me- I only want to do His will.
-S